Orpington Astronomical Society

Astronomy => Astrophotography => Topic started by: MarkS on Jun 09, 2012, 19:10:18

Title: First Light Lunt LS60 B1200
Post by: MarkS on Jun 09, 2012, 19:10:18

The sun finally came out!

I used the QHY5 for this - 200 frames of 5ms processed in Registax.

Not really sure why there's a top to bottom gradient.  I lost the prominences during processing - I need to try again so I can bring them out.

The colouring is false colour of course.

(http://www.markshelley.co.uk/Astronomy/2012/sun_09062012_small.jpg)

Full size version here:  http://www.markshelley.co.uk/Astronomy/2012/sun_09062012.jpg

Mark
Title: Re: First Light Lunt LS60 B1200
Post by: JohnP on Jun 09, 2012, 19:25:15
well I can see some little prominences... Very nice surface detail - If anything you could brighten it up a tad...

Looks promising though - John
Title: Re: First Light Lunt LS60 B1200
Post by: Whitters on Jun 09, 2012, 19:57:09
Nice Mark, I was looking at that super bright active region earlier thru my scope. Love these Lunt scopes they are great fun, and you don't get cold using them either  :P
Title: Re: First Light Lunt LS60 B1200
Post by: MarkS on Jun 09, 2012, 20:18:54
Quote from: Whitters
Nice Mark, I was looking at that super bright active region earlier thru my scope

www.spaceweather.com says that bright area is currently crackling with M-class flares.
Title: Re: First Light Lunt LS60 B1200
Post by: Carole on Jun 10, 2012, 11:17:14
Very nice Mark.
I think there is always a gradient with solar imaging - so I have been told. 

Some nice detail there, as said above it needs brightening a bit and perhaps some increase to the contrast to bring out those nice features.

Carole
Title: Re: First Light Lunt LS60 B1200
Post by: Rick on Jun 10, 2012, 11:41:30
Quote from: MarkS on Jun 09, 2012, 19:10:18Not really sure why there's a top to bottom gradient.

The filter on my PST is extremely angle-sensitive. Might the gradient be related to angle-sensitivity?

That bright active area was central and very distinct during the Venus transit (when there were no clouds in the way).
Title: Re: First Light Lunt LS60 B1200
Post by: MarkS on Jun 10, 2012, 22:47:24
Here's a reprocess of the data to remove some of the brightness "banding", to make the prominences a bit brighter and to increase overall contrast.  I also used AviStack instead of Registax.

The banding (in brightness and surface detail) is apparently caused by the tilt etalon.  The pressure tuned version of the etalon is supposed to be superior in this respect.  Anyhow, now I'm aware of the issue I can tweak the etalon to give the best compromise between banding and detail.

(http://www.markshelley.co.uk/Astronomy/2012/sun_09062012v2_small.jpg)

Full size here:  
http://www.markshelley.co.uk/Astronomy/2012/sun_09062012v2.jpg

I'm still not entirely happy with the processing.  I need to play with the sequence a bit.

Mark

Title: Re: First Light Lunt LS60 B1200
Post by: JohnP on Jun 11, 2012, 08:42:25
Well it look pretty good to me - reprocess is a lot better - John
Title: Re: First Light Lunt LS60 B1200
Post by: mickw on Jun 11, 2012, 09:43:31
Nice one, I agree the reprocess is a lot better
Title: Re: First Light Lunt LS60 B1200
Post by: Tony G on Jun 11, 2012, 14:45:28
When you sleep now?......... :o

Tony G
Title: Re: First Light Lunt LS60 B1200
Post by: MarkS on Jun 11, 2012, 15:11:16
Quote from: Tony
When you sleep now?......... :o

That's the purpose of cloudy weather!
Title: Re: First Light Lunt LS60 B1200
Post by: Tony G on Jun 11, 2012, 19:37:58
Quote from: MarkS on Jun 11, 2012, 15:11:16
Quote from: Tony
When you sleep now?......... :o

That's the purpose of cloudy weather!

The way this weather is going, I can see 'Rip Van Winkle part 2' coming.

Tony G
Title: Re: First Light Lunt LS60 B1200
Post by: MarkS on Jun 14, 2012, 01:33:15

Much happier with this one, finished off in PixInsight ...

(http://www.markshelley.co.uk/Astronomy/2012/sun_09062012v3_small.jpg)

Full size:
http://www.markshelley.co.uk/Astronomy/2012/sun_09062012v3.jpg

Mark

Title: Re: First Light Lunt LS60 B1200
Post by: Carole on Jun 14, 2012, 08:08:56
Oh yes, that's a big improvement Mark.  Really like that.

Carole
Title: Re: First Light Lunt LS60 B1200
Post by: Fay on Jun 14, 2012, 09:49:59
well done Mark, really nice
Title: Re: First Light Lunt LS60 B1200
Post by: julian on Jun 14, 2012, 10:18:09
Very nice image Mark.
Title: Re: First Light Lunt LS60 B1200
Post by: mickw on Jun 14, 2012, 10:56:16
That came out really well, very nice
Title: Re: First Light Lunt LS60 B1200
Post by: Carole on Jun 14, 2012, 18:41:26
Just re-read your first post Mark, you say you used the QHY5 for this.  Do you have the QHY5 that doubles as a planetary camera i.e. the QHY5V?  

I have the basic QHY5 and Sharpcap doesn't recognise it even though the drivers are installed on the laptop so I assumed it was not intended for planetary work.  

Carole
Title: Re: First Light Lunt LS60 B1200
Post by: MarkS on Jun 14, 2012, 19:25:56

I used the QHY5 because it's the only mono CCD I have.  It's the basic QHY5 and used their own QVideo capture software.   

I didn't like QVideo very much so I'll see if I can use an alternative.

Mark
Title: Re: First Light Lunt LS60 B1200
Post by: The Thing on Jun 14, 2012, 21:05:41
Quote from: Carole on Jun 14, 2012, 18:41:26
Just re-read your first post Mark, you say you used the QHY5 for this.  Do you have the QHY5 that doubles as a planetary camera i.e. the QHY5V? 

I have the basic QHY5 and Sharpcap doesn't recognise it even though the drivers are installed on the laptop so I assumed it was not intended for planetary work. 

Carole
Update SharpCap. The QHY5 has a native mode using the QVideo software and an ASCOM driver. The ASCOM driver should be recognised by the latest SharpCap.
Title: Re: First Light Lunt LS60 B1200
Post by: Carole on Jun 14, 2012, 21:27:08
Thanks Duncan and Mark I'll give that a try.  I was wondering whether there might have been some extra software I should have installed.

Sorry to slightly side track your thread.

Carole